Monday, December 22, 2014

I've never put too much reliability in the old saying, everything happens for a reason until I had a problem that eventually led me into a new venture with my eCommerce business.

After 14 years, my water heater was showing signs of problems so I went on-line and did some surfing where I discovered the Marey Tankless Water Heater, which could be shipped and arrive at my door in 3 business days. The small tankless water heater was much more economical and not as large or bulky as the standard tank water heaters. Since Rural Nevada uses propane and not natural gas, I decided to go with the electric, on demand water heater.

During the installation process, I was extremely pleased with the technical support that I had received from the Marey Customer Service. When I went online to register the unit, I noticed a link to apply for a distributorship.

This is where the statement "everything happens for a reason" comes in to play. On an impulse, I filled out the distributorship form and upon being accepted, made the business decision to branch out my PhotoGraphic Expressions in to Bonran Home Plus.

By incorporating a variety of products that I have tried and believe are high quality, along with my fine art photography, I can offer my customers unique items that bring a comfortable and relaxing environment to their home or office. After being out in nature searching for photographs, whether it is in the heat of summer or chill of winter, I am ready to come home, take a warm shower, then prop my feet up and enjoy a relaxing beverage.

I will be writing a series of posts on my blog about the different products that I have available. Today, I would like to begin with the Marey tankless water heater. The Marey Heater Corporation has been in business since 1955, offering a large selection of electric, natural gas and propane tankless water heaters, ranging in price from $118.95 to $469.99. Marey offers a 2.0 gpm 110 volt point of use unit up to 6.5 gpm whole house unit. Each come with a 5 year limited warranty.

One of the most popular units is the small portable propane water heater: GA5PORT which is ideal for camping or any outdoor usage as in horse stables, dog kennels and veterinary offices.

So come and check out my line of products on Bonran Home Plus, whether you are in the need of an energy efficient Marey tankless water heater, some soft and comfortable bedding or to indulge in pure cocoa: https://squareup.com/market/bonran-home-plus

What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that
moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my
interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and
strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the
viewer on a spiritual level.

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text,
design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be
copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the
express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald.
For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please
submit a written request.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

What can be more amazing in early December than seeing an influx of Painted Lady
butterflies fluttering around my yard? So far the temperatures for Northwestern
Nevada have been mild and averaging around 60 °f (15.55 c) during the day and
not dropping much below the freezing point at night.

I would assume
that all these Vanessa cardui butterflies are on migration and seeking warmer
climates for winter.

There is not much nectar available for them at
this time of year, other than some flowering rosemary and orange colored mallows.

They seem very attracted to my Arborvitae shrub that is facing south
and gets sun most of the day.

Butterflies not only feed on nectar but also on
tree sap, dung, pollen and rotting fruit. They receive minerals and especially
sodium that is vital to reproduction from wet areas on leaves, plants and the
ground. I try and provide shallow, wet areas on the patio rocks and ground when
I notice butterflies in the area.

This winter, I will not disturb any
leaves that have fallen to the ground just in case they might have butterfly
eggs. A female butterfly will lay her eggs on milkweed, mallow or any leaf that
will serve as a food source for the caterpillar. Come spring, it will be
interesting to note if I find any of the small bristled caterpillars that will
accent my yard as Painted Lady butterflies.

What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that
moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my
interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and
strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the
viewer on a spiritual level.

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text,
design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be
copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the
express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald.
For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please
submit a written request.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Weather is perhaps the most decisive factor in planning a day out with nature photography. It not only sets the stage for any wildlife being out but also is a determining factor in my safety and comfort zone. In this modern era of scientific forecasting sometimes the weather just does not want to cooperate, so I must turn to other means in making my decision to venture out or stay home.

The old saying "red skies at night, sailor's delight, red skies in the morning, sailor take warning” is based on the weather moving from west to east and would mean that the moisture has passed with a red sunset.

With a red sky in the morning, the sun shines on moisture in the atmosphere at a low angle, therefore rain is possible. However rain actually reaching the ground and giving a good soaking occurs so infrequently out here in the high desert of the Great Basin U. S. The one factor that I can always rely on is the wind.

Seagulls or Inland gulls are sensitive to the slightest fluctuations in air and water pressure and can therefore respond to drops in air pressure just before a storm. Flying in tight circles, they adjust their sense of balance to the air pressure changes.

Gulls will also remain grounded when they sense that a storm is coming.

Flowers are known to give off stronger fragrances just before it rains due to a lowering of air pressure.

It has been noted by beekeepers that bees return to the hives before the rain sets in. This could be that they are also sensitive to the changes in atmospheric pressure.

I've always heard that cows will sit down when it is going to rain, I am not too sure if this is true or maybe they sit down in hopes that it will rain. One interesting theory about cows is that they can sense when there will be an earthquake which might be from their ability to hear on a much lower pitch than us.

Speaking of earthquakes, some people do confirm that dogs can predict an earthquake hours before it will strike. The incessant barking and howling of dogs in 1975 at Haicheng, China convinced the city to evacuate, saving at least 150,000 lives.

I think my favorite of all predictions or maybe it's a superstition is the one about rain coming within the day of a cat cleaning behind its ears.

As much as I love the rain, I sure do wish this weather forecast was more accurate. Or maybe I'd rather it not rain so much to make up for all the times that Skip cleaned behind his ears and it didn't come true.

What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that
moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my
interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and
strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the
viewer on a spiritual level.

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text,
design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be
copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the
express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald.
For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please
submit a written request.

Sitting for a moment to enjoy the setting and gazing across the lake, I
am reminded of Monet's Garden with the lily pads floating in the still water.

A narrow path leads around the lake but in some areas the ground can
be boggy so it's best to tread lightly.

An interesting log lies
across the path, accented against the deep blue hues of water.

As the day
winds down and I take my last look across the lake, Ansel Adams words come in my
thoughts, “Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and
golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.”

What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that
moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my
interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and
strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the
viewer on a spiritual level.

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text,
design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be
copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the
express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald.
For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please
submit a written request.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

A return visit to the northern edge of the Rim fire led me to new discoveries in
the pine forest memorial land of charred and dead trees. This second visit
before cold weather closed down the Tioga Pass road was devoted toward spending
as much time as possible and allowing nature to lead me with my camera.

Wildfires can be beneficial to forests by clearing out over-crowded
vegetation, thereby creating space for new growth. With all the tiny pines that
were thriving in this area, the Rim fire has allowed for a rejuvenation of
growth. Unfortunately this fire was not an act of nature but caused from
carelessness which burned 400 sq. miles at a cost of $127 million.

Hiking deeper into the cemetery of dead trees, I stood at the base of
so many monolithic trees that were still towering over the forest floor.

Up
high from the green canopy a raven cackled as if to remind me to enter with
reverence, for it was not only trees that met their demise in this charred
forest.

Every turn of the camera revealed a different scene with a
unique story that immortalized a once thriving life. I was drawn to a young pine
that had succumbed to the intense heat, finally resting on its side, with bare
branches reaching up.

Life amongst death as a bramble bush takes
residence against the charred trunk of a once majestic pine. The hollowed base
of the tree will likely become someone's den for the winter.

One
of the most awesome scenes of survival was this mighty Ponderosa pine that was almost
cored from the fire, yet still alive and standing tall.

The pine's strength and
perseverance really touched my emotions.

Sap oozing down from
this hollowed out recess in the charred pine gave me impressions of being in a
cave.

In a small area I noticed a number of round, blackened
balls that I think might have been Black Oak Acorns. Black Oak Acorns were a
food staple of the Yosemite Indians.

The opportunistic side of nature
never ceases to amaze me, some critter has made a home in this hollowed out
trunk

An intriguing scene and I wander if the boulder was cracked by
the intense heat?

A shape beckons me to take a closer look, the
abstract form has humanoid qualities and reminds me somewhat of a Hawaiian Tiki
Totem

In one of the most devastated areas of the fire a huge pine
lays stretched out for many meters.

I can only imagine how many years this
tree had been growing.

Over time and
like with the Titanic, nature will reclaim what is left of this hull, leaving
only a layer of mulch and some charred bark.

New growth accents the
landscape and Lupines are beginning to grow on the forest floor.

A destroyer of living matter, the fire leaves in its wake
abstract creations, the outline of a heart catches my eye in the upper section
of the trunk.

Intricate shapes accent the landscape, nature's Biomorphic creations that are
charred and appear as if decorated with Pryographic designs.

All over this land where the dead have come to rest
lies a tribute to so many once thriving lives. As I begin to retrace my steps
and make my departure, I feel blessed that I have been given such an opportunity
to experience this touching side of nature.

The seasonal change
of winter is coming soon and one never knows what changes it might bring to this
unique memorial site. Maybe I'll return again after spring's thaw.

What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that
moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my
interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and
strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the
viewer on a spiritual level.

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text,
design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be
copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the
express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald.
For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please
submit a written request.